Bringing red onions and white radishes to OCOP standards.
Born and raised in Vinh Chau - a place famous for its purple onions and white radishes - in his youth, Mr. Truong Ngoc An (residing in Vinh Chau Ward, Can Tho City - formerly Vinh Chau Town, Soc Trang Province) chose to study and work far from his hometown.
After graduating with a degree in finance and business, Mr. An became the CEO of a foreign company in Ho Chi Minh City. He had a stable job and a high salary, but he was always troubled by the recurring problem of bumper harvests leading to plummeting prices for agricultural products.
Mr. Truong Ngoc An and his products made from purple onions and white radishes from Vinh Chau have achieved OCOP 3-star and 4-star certification. PHOTO: DUY TAN
"Our people work hard growing onions and radishes, but when harvest time comes, the selling price is too low, leaving no profit. Sometimes, piles of white radishes lie in the fields, and no one buys them. I wonder why we can't do something to increase the value of our local agricultural products," Mr. An shared.
Driven by this concern, he decided to leave his job in Ho Chi Minh City and return to his hometown to start a business, hoping to both preserve his family's traditional craft and create a new market for local agricultural products.
Starting with a four-flavor roast duck model, Mr. An quickly impressed with his creativity and many unique dishes such as crispy-skinned duck, yin-yang duck, and night-dark duck… But his greatest passion remains finding a sustainable market for agricultural products.
The red onions are packaged in attractive boxes and packaging. PHOTO: DUY TAN
In 2022, Mr. An established Phuc Hao Agricultural and Aquatic Products Trading and Manufacturing Company Limited, investing over 1 billion VND in a modern drying system with a capacity of 1 ton per day. He identified processing as a key direction to ensure stable outlets for agricultural products, transforming raw products into value-added goods. This approach both enhances economic value and creates sustainability for the consumer market. From there, the first products were launched, such as salted pickled radish, sweet and sour pickled radish, sweet pickled radish, and dried shallots, quickly achieving OCOP 3-star and 4-star certifications.
"OCOP is not just a certificate, but also a source of confidence that allows me to assure consumers that Vinh Chau's agricultural products can absolutely compete in the larger market," Mr. An confided.
Enhancing the value of local agricultural products.
To ensure the product's reach, Mr. An focuses on every step, from raw materials to packaging and design. Phuc Hao sweet pickled radish, made from Vinh Chau white radish, is processed using a salt-drying-sugar coating method, combined with low-temperature drying technology to preserve its natural crispness and mild sweetness. As a result, the product has quickly gained consumer acceptance. The company sells several tons each month and it is now available on supermarket shelves. big.
Dried rambutan is displayed on the shelves in the supermarket. PHOTO: DUY TAN
Not stopping at production, Mr. An and his fellow farmers founded the Phong Phu Clean Agricultural Products Cooperative with 13 official members and 25 associate members. The cooperative not only grows purple onions, chili peppers, and white radishes, but also connects farmers, builds a concentrated raw material area, and ensures stable input standards for processing.
Simultaneously, he developed Phuc Man Lau Café & Eco Farm. This is an experiential farm where visitors can witness firsthand the process of growing and processing agricultural products, while also learning about the unique culture of Vinh Chau region.
From a young man who left his hometown to start a business, Mr. An became a pioneer in bringing local agricultural products, especially purple onions and white radishes, to the modern market. This journey not only brought economic value but also fostered a spirit of solidarity and sustainable wealth creation for farmers. "Starting a business is not just about enriching oneself, but also about helping farmers find stable markets and giving our local agricultural products a foothold. I believe that if farmers are strong, our homeland will also develop sustainably," Mr. An confided.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bo-pho-ve-que-dua-hanh-tim-cu-cai-trang-len-ke-sieu-thi-185251024095752207.htm
Comment (0)